Amulet of Fate

Chapter 9

Dusan

The monster was gone, it vanished and disintegrated into the soil. The monsters that lurked the Earth were soulless creatures, therefore when they perish their bodies dissolve into dust. A soul is the spirit of an animal or a creature, and when that living being dies, it is the soul that preserves the body, and allows that body to move into the After. The After was a land between the realms of the living and the dead, once the soul is judged for their actions, the soul will either rise to the paradise of Coleus, or plummet to the depths of Infernum, where Terrai was banished to, and where the creatures of the darkness were born.

The four of them glanced at the remains of the monster, which was surprisingly easy to defeat. Perhaps it was the moment of teamwork that they had achieved in that split second, whatever the reason may be...they were lucky to have their lives. The sun above appeared to swim in an ocean of colors, vibrant orange, bright yellow, and even a light red swirled together in the sky, appearing to drown the sun, little by little, until it's light began to fade away.

"We need to stop for the night, if anyone sees any place to rest up, let us know." Dusan broke the silence.

His body felt sore from riding all day, he wondered where the amulet would lead them, and how long it would take. But, that didn't stop the excitement from coursing through his veins. Even in a single day, he had seen so much, and he had felt so free and alive. The rivers of Solandis were crystal-clear, the forests were lush green and the mountains reached up to the heavens themselves. The world around him was so beautiful, so full of life and wonder. The memory of the temple falling to the ground played again in his mind, the screams of the monks and priests, rang in his ears. Terrai's anger had been brewing since before the beginning of their time, meaning that she wasn't a force to reckon with. According to what Rohana told Dusan, it is Terrai that controls the forces of the weather on Earth. The wind, the snow, the rain, the thunder...

Even the darkest of storms.

For some reason, Dusan couldn't help but feel pity for Terrai. As she simply wanted to live a life of her own, and her dreams were crushed by her sisters in an instant. In a way, Dusan was reminded of his own life, and how he wished to be free of the strict expectations and responsibilities of the castle. He hated it there, for every second he stayed in that castle, he was reminded of horrible memories that he wished would fade away. The second he walked outside with the group, he felt alive, he felt free. It was still a shock to him that Laurent hadn't intended on giving Dusan his ring back, he had only given it up after Dusan confronted and threatened him.

"I am well aware that you have the ring in your possession, Laurent. My mother's ring is of utmost importance to me, and I must say I am very disappointed in your actions."

"Your highness, do you really believe the words of a petty thief over me? I live merely to serve you."

Dusan grabbed Laurent by the collar. "I do not care about the status of that girl, all I know is that you were given a responsibility that you did not uphold. Either way, you are at fault. Whether the girl lies or tells the truth."

Laurent said nothing, and Dusan groaned out of frustration. He remembered shoving him to the ground, watching as Laurent tumbled to the ground and swore under his breath, before handing the ring over to him.

"Now, get the hell out of my sight."

Dusan pressed his lips over his ring, holding it close to his heart. The sky above had darkened, without a single star twinkling in the sky, the moon shone brightly as a crescent. The burbling pond had a perfect reflection of the moon, which rippled as the fish swam, or as the frogs leaped on the lilypads. In the distance, crickets chirped loudly, singing their night time melodies. The wisps continued to move forward, shining in the darkness like little stars, leading the way in a luminous path.